Lucasartsgames tweets a clarification of the news that the Jedi Knight series of Star Wars first-person shooters (and slicers) is coming to Steam with a confirmation that this will include the entire series, saying simply: "What games from the Jedi Knight series? All of em!" In another Tweet they also indicate the series will be also coming to Direct2Drive when it is released next Wednesday.

The Call of Duty Forums have a status report on the promised version 1.6 patch for the PC edition of Call of Duty: World at War, Treyarch's World War II shooter sequel. The patch will include tweaks and bug fixes, and the maps contained in Map Pack #3 for the game. Word is: "Additionally, we do expect a concurrent release of the Mod Tools 1.4 package, Linux dedicated 1.6 bins, and the Steam 1.6 day-of-date with this patch. More details on those will be made available once they get cleared through testing." Thanks ClanBase.

Trademarking [Sep 12, 2009, 12:24 pm ET] - Share - Post a Comment

As noted on superannuation, ZeniMax has filed a trademark registration for Deathmark. Not content with that, the trademark hounds also note that HBO has filed a game-related trademark for True Blood, and that Activision has filed a trademark registration for Sledgehammer Games. But wait, there's more: as they also report that Ubisoft has filed a trademark registration for Treasure Mania and that a French job listing indicates this is a new Facebook game. Last, and likely least, they conclude by reporting a Nashville based company called Digital Hero Games has filed a trademark registration for Cowbell Hero. I've got a fever... and the prescription is more cowbell!

There are apparently plans to add a zombie-themed quest in an upcoming update for Star Wars Galaxies, SOE's undead Star Wars MMORG. This was discovered by Big Download in an update on the Random House Website, of all places, as this ties in with an upcoming Star Wars novel. Word is: Star Wars Galaxies, the popular massively-multiplayer online game from Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts, is introducing a quest series into the game this Fall based on the recently announced Random House novel Death Troopers. (Read more about the book here). The Death Troopers series of adventures will mark the first time that the Star Wars Galaxies game has introduced content inspired by a current novel and given gamers and Star Wars fans the chance to live out these adventures together online. Players will be able to join together to fight horrific new enemies with a frightening affliction.

Gamasutra follows up on previous indications that a legal battle is brewing over the Fallout IP. This is not actually over the rights to create a Fallout MMOG that Interplay retained when they sold the Fallout rights to Bethesda, but rather over recent bundles and other deals concerning the original Fallout games. Bethesda is seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions against manufacture, sale, and distribution of the Fallout Trilogy, which includes the classic PC games Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics, saying "while Interplay was permitted to sell pre-existing Fallout games, it was required to submit to Bethesda all relevant packaging, advertising, and promotional material prior to bringing the catalog titles to market." Word is:But Bethesda claimed that Interplay never sought pre-approval for those materials. The plaintiff said because of the alleged trademark infringement, consumers have become confused between the makers of the pre-existing Fallout games and Bethesda's more recent Fallout 3 -- a situation that Bethesda wanted to avoid.

Bethesda also accused Interplay of breaching the trademark agreement by signing licensing agreements with digital distribution sites like Steam, GOG.com, and GameTap to sell older Fallout games. The company claimed Interplay's alleged actions have caused the studio "immediate, substantial, and irreparable harm."

Bethesda is also asking the court for a declaration stating a trademark licensing agreement between the two companies is terminated. In 2007, Bethesda purchased the Fallout franchise from Interplay in full for $5.75 million. Within that purchase agreement was a trademark licensing agreement, the complaint said, that allowed Interplay to license back the rights to develop an MMO based on the Fallout series.

The X-Motor Racing Downloads Page announces a new version 1.15 of this indie racing simulation is automatically available from within the game. The new version includes improved tire modeling, sound code changes, OpenAL support, engine load changes, and more. As always, an updated playable demo is also available, reflecting these changes.

The Aion Video Podcast Episode 3 on IncGamers corners NCsoft's Lani Blazier to discuss the upcoming western launch of Aion after almost a year of operation in Korea. Word is: "The video gives us plenty of impressive footage that shows various mobs, environments and encounters. We also get to see what the number one ranked player in the abyss gets as a reward; The ability to look like a raid boss, and cause a lot of damage while being able to take a lot too seems a fitting reward for such a task." As they highlight separately, the podcast offers New Content Hints and news that the Western Release Will See Brand New Features.

Steam News announces the runaway train of RailWorks DLC continues. The new additional content for the transport sim is the GWR Hall 4-6-0 Locomotive, described like so: "The Great Western Railway 4900 Hall Class is a mixed traffic steam locomotives designed by Charles Collett. Their range of duties fully justified this classification with them being found on almost any passenger and freight services, with the exception of small branch lines. " Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss Interview [Sep 12, 2009, 12:22 pm ET] - Share - Post a Comment

The Ultima Online: Stygian Abyss Interview on Ten Ton Hammer talks with producer Cal Crowner about the just-launched expansion to the granddaddy of all MMOGs. They discuss attracting former players back, PvP vs. PvE, Gargoyles, Ultima lore, and more.

The Ballad of Gay Tony will be released on XBL Marketplace on 10.29 for 1600 MS points. 22 brilliant Dreamcast games doomed to die. Former Sega President on Dreamcast's Failure, Pranks Against Sony, His Ouster....

While it's nice that LucasArts are making their back catalogue available, dumping it out in big blobs like they've been doing recently, and how much they're putting out, feels a little whorish. Still, the Jedi Knights games were pretty cool.

Last, and likely least, they conclude by reporting a Nashville based company called Digital Hero Games has filed a trademark registration for Cowbell Hero. I've got a fever... and the prescription is more cowbell!

Let's see. A quick google search shows that Split Reason sells Cowbell Hero Apparel, Gamespot announced Cowbell hero as an April Fool's Day joke in 2006, and there's this bit from AMV Hell4:

There are apparently plans to add a zombie-themed quest in an upcoming update for Star Wars Galaxies, SOE's undead Star Wars MMORG.

Sigh.

I'll toss in this one:

There's a vocal opposition (but numerically very small) to valve's upcoming Left 4 Dead 2 game. So, Valve flew out two of the biggest critics to Valve HQ to take a look at the game. Then things take a strange turn. (Oh, and the critics are now supportive of the game. Go fig.)

September 23, 2009 - During Sony Computer Entertainment Japan's press conference at the Tokyo Game Show this evening, Capcom producer Jun Takeuchi took the stage and announced Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition.

The new edition makes use of Sony's latest Motion Wand controller. Graphically it looks the same as the original Resident Evil 5, except for an added cursor on screen reflecting your motion control movements. You play with one hand holding the Wand and the other a Dual Shock 3.

Besides motion controls, the game has additional content as requested by fans, Takeuchi said.

There will also be a teaser trailer shown later.

It's scheduled ship date is Spring 2010 in Japan, the same time as the expected shipping date for the Motion Wand, meaning this could be a launch title. No word on if this game is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 due to the control scheme. We'll keep you updated.

I added my own emphasis. That seems a bit... strange, no? As I've heard some people say, it's fine if you want to take a crack at what Nintendo has been successful at and see if you can improve, but if you are going to copy it then why not just copy all of it? Holding a dual shock 3 with one hand seems incredibly awkward, and limits your hand to resting in your lap. Thoughts?

I want to see it in action, but my initial reaction is: That's just stupid. Especially for a hardcore game like Resi 5. Everyone's who already bought it, won't want to play with motion controls, and anyone who wants motion controls doesn't seem like the type of person who'd play Resi 5.

Wouldn't say it's official 'news' news, but if anyone's like me that ended up buying Fallout 3 for full price 20 seconds before reading about the full GOTY edition coming out soon, the 'Broken Steel' add-on for PS3 is now available, with the rest of the add-ons that the XBox and PC now have coming out in early October. And even if you haven't bought the new content, the game's been updated as well to include the new trophies, to make you want it even more. It's $9.99, which isn't bad, but overall a bit more expensive than how I got screwed on Force Unleashed as well (bought it for $16, new, found out that day they were adding trophy support because an uber-edition was coming out with all the downloadable content included).

Which reminds me, the Force Unleashed "Tatooine" expansion came out in August. Better late than never, right?

As for the motion controller, it's a decent gamble; it probably didn't take too much time to develop it, and unlike Nintendo, Sony built it as a 'rip-off' afterthought, not the official controller for the console, so it's not hurting the library of available games as much. I don't own the camera, but I think pairing the two sounds like a much better approach to motion control gaming than an infrared sensor (though, to defend Nintendo, the Wii controller is a light years ahead of that damn SixAxiS nonsense).

Anybody who likes comedy and computer games should check out Charlie Brooker's gameswipe. It aired on the BBC a couple of days ago and if you're a fan of Brooker's brand of humour (like me) then you'll enjoy his program. You can see it on iplayer here: